Abbotsford Parish in Canada to host Malanka in 2026
Holy Resurrection Mission Parish of the Eparchy of New Westminster hosted a Malanka Evening at the parish centre of St. Anne’s Parish in Abbotsford on Saturday 3 January 2026. People from all around the Greater Vancouver Area gathered for an evening of great food, fellowship and excellent Ukrainian cultural performances that really impressed everyone present.
The evening opened with Parish Priest, Fr. Yuriy Sakvuk, welcoming everyone and giving a brief explanation of what a Malanka is all about. In so many words, he explained that, yes, it is a new year’s celebration, but so much more. It encompasses ancient pre-Christian and Christan customs and the rich ongoing celebration of Christ’s nativity (which carries on until the eve of the Encounter).
Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski was invited to open the evening with a New Year greeting and prayer. During his message, he asked the Lord’s blessings upon all those gathered, all the Faithful throughout the eparchy and for a for an end to the war in Ukraine and a new peace and prosperity for a free, undivided and sovereign Ukraine. He also thanked Fr. Yuriy and all those that collaborated in planning and hosting such a warm event.
Fr. Yuriy, in turn, gave the credit to his wife, Dobrodika Marika and his parish council. Marika acted as the master of ceremonies throughout the evening program that included a youth vertep (Christmas pageant), youth choirs, womens’ “Ukraina” folk dance group and a Ukrainian fashion show organized by Ukrainian fashion designer Tanya Znak.
Since this was a large gathering of the Ukrainian community of British Columbia, a group of volunteers for Riy Vancouver also gave a report on their 2025 activities. They touted some very impressive data regarding their successful fundraising to provide thousands of First-Aid kits and emergency aid vehicles to support the troops on Ukraine’s front lines. Then on behalf of the whole gathering, they extended best wishes to Tatiana Honcharenko, the director of Vancouver’s Ukrainian radio program, Diaspora FM (96.1), on the occasion of her birthday and in gratitude of her tireless work in bringing important Ukrainian news to the Ukrainian community and to the wider public on Canada’s Westcoast.
Carols were sing in between performances and everyone joined in. (as always there were some who knew not only the first few verses, but ALL the verses! Following the meal and the variety of entertainment, people were invited forward to the dance area to learn some Ukrainian folks dances and then the “zabava” got underway.
This is not the first largescale social event that the little mission in Abbotsford has organized. Congratulations to them for their dedication in keeping their parish growing and their determination to serve the wider community.
nweparchy.ca
